1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for reducing a channel scanning time by sharing channel information in a wireless local area network (WLAN), and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for reducing a channel scanning time, based on channel information received from a neighboring station (STA).
2. Description of the Related Art
With development in information and communication technology (ICT), varied forms of wireless communication technology are also under development. A wireless local area network (WLAN) refers to technology for wirelessly connecting to the Internet at residential, corporate, or predetermined service providing areas, using a portable station (STA), for example, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart phone, a laptop computer, a portable multimedia player (PMP), and the like, based on wireless frequency technology.
Currently, a WLAN may provide a 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) band and a 5 GHz band, and differ based on areas. However, in terms of standards established in the Republic of Korea, 11 channels are included in the 2.4 GHz band, and 25 channels are included in the 5 GHz band. A plurality of STAs may scan channels providing a WLAN and obtain information on an access point (AP) in order to connect to the WLAN. In recent times, research into initiating a more rapid connection to WLAN is being conducted to enhance user efficiency.